Shaft A Complicated Man by David F. Walker

​   I’ve never really had an opinion on Shaft. Though there’s much to be said about that magical moniker. Outside of the theme song that cooks up corn and cheesiness to perfection, there was a movie I remember with the ubiquitous Samuel L. That’s’ about it. But, then of course, to a black community Shaft is something of a cultural institution . A righteous brother, protector of his fellow men, lover of his fellow women, he’s the cat that won’t cop out, hip to the bone and tough as nails…a superhero, really. Which is a huge deal, especially for the era, when representation wasn’t what it was now, in either general or superhero variety.
     So I didn’t know what to expect from this graphic novel and ended up being pleasantly surprised. This was a good story well told and excellently drawn. An origin story for Shaft, a story that does its best to stick to the original source of the character, which are books, not movies or tv show of the 70s. In this story Shaft goes from a tough criminal youth and boxer to soldier to veteran to boxer again to private investigator.
      Sometime between the last two phases of his journey he meets and falls in love with a woman and their brief but passionate love affair inspires him to become the man people know and love as Shaft. A man with the iron fists and strong moral code, defender of those who need defending, punisher of those who need punishment.
        The story is set in the 70s and tied into the local New York politics of building the World Trade Center. And though that financial manipulations of that kind aren’t usually of much interest to me, this book handled it well and gave Shaft an excellent backdrop against which to steadily (and meditatively, this guy is a thinker not just a lover and a fighter) develop into the Shaft he’s become known for, the complicated (love the way they used this from the song in the story) man who can do what no other can or willing to…fight for justice in an unjust world.
        Very good read, very good art. Definitely the book to turn indifference into appreciation. Recommended.